Federal lawmakers are advancing legislation that would require automakers to provide independent repair facilities with the same access to vehicle diagnostics, calibration tools, and repair data they furnish to franchised dealerships - a development carrying significant compliance implications for OEMs and new operational opportunities for the aftermarket sector.
Background
The push for federal standardization follows years of fragmented state-level action and rising industry friction over data access. The Right to Equitable and Professional Auto Industry Repair Act - known as the REPAIR Act - was reintroduced in the House in February 2025 and introduced in the Senate in April 2025. Representatives Neal Dunn (R-FL-02), Brendan Boyle (D-PA-02), Warren Davidson (R-OH-08), and Marie Gluesenkamp Perez (D-WA-03) introduced the bill, alongside 12 additional bipartisan co-sponsors.
State mandates have driven the broader debate. In February 2025, a Massachusetts federal district court rejected a long-running challenge by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation to a 2020 ballot initiative amending that state's right-to-repair law. Maine's Right to Repair law took effect January 5, 2025, but full implementation has stalled amid legal and regulatory disputes. Wisconsin legislators have also been considering similar provisions during their 2025-2026 session.
Details
The REPAIR Act would protect consumers' rights to repair their vehicles while ensuring continued safe operation of the nation's 292 million registered passenger and commercial motor vehicles - 70% of which are currently maintained by independent repair facilities.
The bill requires vehicle manufacturers to provide repair and diagnostic data to the aftermarket at the same cost, in the same manner, and within the same timeframe as they provide such data to franchise dealerships. Under its definitions, "vehicle-generated data" covers any direct, real-time, in-vehicle data generated by vehicle operation related to diagnostics, repair, service, wear, and calibration or recalibration of parts and systems. It excludes data related to automated driving systems or personally identifiable information. Manufacturers would be required to provide owner access using the same security protections applied when sharing data with dealers or third parties.
Industry data underscores the case for the legislation. A 2024 independent survey found that 51% of independent repair shops send up to five cars each month to dealerships due to data restrictions, 63% of shops reported experiencing a restriction on repair data daily or weekly, and vehicle data limitations cost independent repair shops an estimated $3.1 billion annually. A July 2025 national poll found that more than 83% of Americans support the REPAIR Act, with 84% of Republicans and 82% of Democrats backing the bill.
A competing proposal has also emerged. On February 20, 2025, the Automotive Service Association, Alliance for Automotive Innovation, and Society of Collision Repair Specialists proposed the Safety as First Emphasis (SAFE) Repair Act, which they say would guarantee independent facilities the same diagnostic and repair capabilities as franchised dealers while prioritizing consumer safety. The SAFE Repair Act builds on a 2023 agreement by independent repairers and automakers affirming that "independent repair facilities shall have access to the same diagnostic and repair information that auto manufacturers make available to authorized dealer networks."
On enforcement, the REPAIR Act would be administered by the Federal Trade Commission under its existing unfair and deceptive trade practices authority, advised by a new Fair Competition After Vehicles Are Sold Advisory Committee. The committee would comprise the FTC's Director of the Bureau of Competition, the NHTSA Administrator, and 11 representatives from industry and consumer rights organizations. The bill also contains a preemption provision that would supersede similar state laws, potentially affecting right-to-repair statutes in Massachusetts and Maine.
Outlook
Between state-level mandates, competing federal legislation, ongoing court challenges, and evolving OEM data strategies, 2026 is shaping up as a pivotal year. The First Circuit is expected to hear arguments on the Massachusetts challenge in the first half of 2026, with a ruling possible before year-end - a decision that would shape the legal foundation for any federal framework. For supply chain and aftermarket stakeholders, the outcome will determine how rapidly OEMs must restructure their data-sharing architecture and what standardized access platforms must look like at scale.
